The League of Women Voters of Kansas City/Jackson, Clay, Platte Counties

Transcription

1 1 j THE VOTER The League of Women Voters of Kansas City/Jackson, Clay, Platte Counties Box 10416, KCMO lwvkcjcp@gmail.com facebook.com/lwvkc Annual Planning Meeting LWV/US -- LWV/MO -- LWV/KCJCP Community Christian Church Saturday, Jan 12, 9:30 Hospitality, 10:00 Program Part I LWV/KCJCP - What would you recommend to the League of Missouri about any position listed in the Guide to State Action? Would you propose a modification, to delete a position, or perhaps propose a new position? On January 12, attendees will vote on their recommendations to the Missouri LWV Board. Our recommendations could relate to developing or changing a position, or, to recommending statewide advocacy for a position for the biennium. Local leagues recommendations are evaluated by the local and LWVMO boards and approved recommendations are voted upon by delegates to the 2019 LWVMO Convention in St. Louis. Time permitting, we ll see a short Power Point on the National Popular Vote Compact for which an LWVMO Committee will advocate in Part II LWV/ US: The Transformation Journey As mentioned at the December meeting, come to hear more about the National League s plans to expand our message, grow and diversify our membership and modernize our operations. We will provide more background to the study that led to the Transformation Road Map. Part III LWV/KCJCP: Committees Work to Empower Voters, Defend Democracy To kick off the New Year, we ve summarized the local League s committee structure to make it easier for members to align their passions, interests and expertise with everything that the that the League is doing. We look forward to your participation in transforming our LWV to match current circumstances. Community Christian Church 4601 Main; Kansas City MO Park free in multi-level garage south of church. Enter on south side of church; take steps to lower level Centennial Room. Handicapped entrance/parking is on north side of church with elevator access to lower level.

2 2 LWV/KC/J/C/P BOARD OFFICERS Co-Presidents Evelyn Maddox Rosemary Durkin 1 st Vice President Sandy Eeds 2 nd Vice President Anitra Steele Secretary Pat Goodwin Treasurer Caroline Arnold DIRECTORS Becky Yockey Cheryl Barnes Dawn Wade Josh Williams Pauline Testerman Sheryl Eufinger Sue Scholl Co-Presidents Message In January, our LWV starts making its plans and setting goals for the year. We are facing a Governor who muses that maybe the redistricting passed as part of Amendment 1 maybe wasn t such a good idea. On the other hand, U. S. House Bill #1 will be introduced by the new US Congress to establish nationwide automatic voter registration, revitalize the Voting Rights Act, and shift redistricting from legislatures to independent commissions. Although Missouri s Voter ID law was weakened when the voter s affidavit was thrown out by the US Court of Appeals, we may be facing a Missouri Legislature planning to again restrict voting rights. In Kansas City, we will be electing a new mayor and voting on a sales tax to fund a pre- kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. The LWV is working on a forum for the mayor and a program in February to review the ballot issue(s). Our city faces a low-cost housing shortage and a racial divide that struggles to heal. We continue to see violence in our city and decaying infrastructure. We wonder, what can I do? I am only one person. Margaret Mead, who Rosemary met in college and who was in awe of the aging woman who influenced many, is often quoted as saying, Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world, it is the only thing that ever has. So, in January, we review our positions on issues and good government. We decide what we want to work on this year locally and across Missouri, and in our Transformation Journey, as a group of empowered leaguers. We take steps in our city, state and nation to contribute to the greater good. We show up to educate voters and protect the voting process. We decide how to impact our state and city government by reviewing how our tax dollars are spent; how officials meet the needs of the people. We recognize the government weaknesses that we can impact. We celebrate our achievements for voters (see pg 15 announcing the $700 grant for our Young Adults registration work).we keep transforming and moving ahead. We keep the optimism of the holidays in our hearts and actions. We remember the women who came before us. Rosemary Durkin and Evelyn Maddox 1. Planning Meeting 5. The Voter Girl Project 10. County News; LWVMO Poster Winner 2. Co-Presidents MEssage 6.Local Deportation Defense Legal Network Jackson, Clay, Platte, Cass County News 3. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 7-8. vote411.org, Forums, Voter Registration HR1, Advocacy for Voting Rights Act 4. The Voter Girl Project 8-9. Committee Reports Honoring MLK; Grant, Celebrations Calendar

3 3 Transformation to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion In January of 2018 The League of Women Voters published the Assessment and Transformation Roadmap which is a document meant to guide The League through the changing landscape both in our organization and in the United States. One of the areas it identified as something to be addressed on a national level was diversity. Here is what the Roadmap said: LWV has identified its lack of racial, economic, and social diversity as an impediment in achieving its mission and as a barrier to greater impact and growth, a view reinforced in the assessment by external stakeholders. The recognition of the need for change has prompted many state and local Leagues to begin taking steps to build a more diverse membership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion has been a topic of discussion among both the board and staff of the national organization. What is diversity and what does it mean for the LWVKC? According to Merriam-Webster.com, diversity is the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization. As we look at our membership in Kansas City, most of us are mature, white women. In order to meet the needs of the changing democratic landscape in the United States, we need to diversify in order to survive and grow stronger. We need to add diverse members in all categories: race, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic strata, education, religion, and culture. Sometimes this is a simple as getting to really someone who is different in some way from ourselves. The LWMUS dispatched board member, Jessica Rohloff, to speak at the LWVMO Fall Conference on the Transformational Journey to diversity and inclusion. She suggested that local Leagues invite local powerful women to a board meeting to get their observations. Question everything you do as a League. What will you get rid of and what will you want to keep? Look at your group and ask who is in the room and who isn t? We are to be more power focused on power with, not power over. This will call for radical self-evaluation. Diversity and inclusion should be a goal for each member of LWVKC in the coming year. Can we make it our New Year s Resolution to rise to the challenge? Exploring the diversity of holiday celebrations, some of which just occurred, is one way we can individually appreciate our different beliefs and practices. I ve listed some divese religious and cultural holidays for us to consider which might surprise and educate each of us. Mitzi Klukvin

4 A Reflection on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Holiday Season January, Bodhi Day: Traditionally celebrated on Dec. 8, this Buddhist holiday commemorates the day that Siddhartha Guatama, the historical Buddha, experienced enlightenment. Christmas: Celebrated Dec. 25 and Jan. 7 for Eastern Orthodox Christians, this is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the central figure in Christianity. Diwali: A five-day Hindu Festival of Lights begins Oct. 27 in Eid al-fitr: The celebration of the end of Ramadan in the Muslim faith has shifting dates and will start at sundown on June 4, Hanukkah: This eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights will start at sundown on Dec. 22 and end at sundown on Dec. 30, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated annually in mid-sep. and early Oct. Kwanzaa: This weeklong secular holiday honoring African-American heritage is celebrated Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 each year. Lunar New Year: This traditional Chinese Holiday marking the end of winter falls on Feb. 5, Yule: This Wiccan or pagan celebration of the winter solstice takes place every year between Dec Interesting, Enjoyable, and Enriching Volunteerism Membership volunteers are interesting people who are interested in people and do interesting work. We maintain the roster, perform all intake of new members, conduct new member orientation, welcome members to meetings and events, and call members to encourage attendance and participation in league events. We promote our League and all of our activities to maintain interest and enthusiasm in KCJCP s mission. Volunteers are Needed for the Membership Committee In 2019, we will be working on recruitment, engagement, retention, and mentoring of our members. We also need substitute volunteers for the Calling Tree and for help developing pamphlets promoting membership in LWV. A New Member Orientation is scheduled for Feb. 2 nd and help is needed. The Membership Committee plays an important role in helping members know that the League is enjoyable and personally enriching. We make lasting friendships by getting involved. Please sign on to the membership committee and support this work that keeps us thriving! Donna Hoch, thehochs@gmail.com,

5 5 LWVKCJCP and Girl Scouts Prepare Girls for Participation in Democracy LWV KCJCP is forming its Voter Girl Project, and anticipating that all approvals and arrangements can be ready for its first session during the fall semester, The Voter Girl Project is a program sponsored by local leagues in collaboration with local Girl Scout Councils. Developed and marketed by the League of Women Voters of Kent, Ohio, the program includes marketing materials, operations tips, and a curriculum guide which was developed by teachers and communicators from the education and diversity fields. Local league members participate as volunteers to help scouts earn citizenship badges that promote League values. The program is designed for Girl Scouts in the 1 st through 12 th grades. In the meantime, we will need a core or development committee to manage promotional material, registration and hospitality and a lead person to tailor the curriculum for each badge (Junior, Cadette, Senior & Ambassador). We will also need members at our Voter Girl event to facilitate and interact with the Girl Scouts who attend the two-hour session organized by our League. No scouting experience required to help us make Voter Girl a rewarding experience for everyone involved with it. Stacey Webb, Donna Hoch, Sheryl Eufinger

6 Local Deportation Defense Legal Network January, It has been a real pleasure for me to serve on the board of the Deportation Defense Legal Network (DDLN) as a volunteer as well as serving on our local LWV Board for the term. I value the opportunity to use my legal experience to work on behalf of immigrants with the DDLN, and to lead our local LWV efforts on immigration. The Deportation Defense Legal Network (DDLN) is a volunteer organization here in Kansas City that recruits, trains and assists pro bono lawyers in representing immigrants being detained in seven local jails around the metro area. These detainees are entitled to one bond hearing. If they are not bonded out, they will remain in custody for about two years awaiting a hearing on the merits of their claim to remain in the United States. Many of them simply agree to be deported if they do not make bond. DDLN was established in honor of a young man who died in custody. If detained immigrants go to their one bond hearing without Dawn Wade counsel their chances of getting bond are very low, about ten percent. If they do have counsel their chances are much better, about eighty percent. DDLN was formed to provide representation at bond hearings for detainees who cannot afford to hire an attorney. The immigration bar in Kansas City has been very generous in providing training and back up for our 50 volunteer attorneys, most of whom are young attorneys with the big law firms in Kansas City. The big firms have been very supportive of this effort. Their young attorneys have been getting fantastic results. So far there has been only one unfavorable decision, which is being appealed at no charge by members of the local immigration bar. Dawn Wade The Missouri League s position on Immigration is on page 59 of the Missouri Guide to State Action. The position of LWVUS on immigration is fully explained in the Impact on Issues, , which is online at Immigration Promote reunification of immediate families; meet the economic, business and employment needs of the United States; be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises; and provide for student visas. Ensure fair treatment under the law for all persons. In transition to a reformed system, support provisions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status.

7 7 Voter Education Continues for Elections Vote411.org LOOKING BACK LOOKING FORWARD Last year was a good year for democracy. Voter turnout for the November 2018 election far surpassed the previous mid-term general election in November More than 200,000 more voters cast ballots this November than four years ago, and voter turnout over the four-county area was over 60% beating turnout nationwide by over 10%. Voters in our area took advantage of the resources the League provided for this election. In addition to the 11,000 Voter Guides distributed throughout the community, almost 20,000 voters from the Kansas City area visited vote411.org to get information on candidates and ballot issues. The League will provide online voter guides through vote411.org for the three elections in 2019: April 2, General Municipal Elections August 6, 2019 Special Elections, if needed November 5, 2019 Special Elections, if needed Important local races and ballot issues will be decided this year, and the League will provide the information voters need to make the best decisions for them and their families. The Voter Guide Project Committee is always looking for members who are interested in learning about vote411.org, setting up the online voter guide, and getting the word out to voters that election information is just a click away. Contact me at patgoodwin6@gmail.com if you are interested in joining us. Pat Goodwin PLANNED FORUMS December has been very busy on the Setting up Forums front. We now planning four forums in March 2019 for three different races with both continuing and new co-sponsors. The Forums Committee will be contacting members for assistance in staffing these forums and hope you will plan to attend. Locations to be announced via lwvkc.org. Saturday, March 9, Kansas City Mayoral Candidates; Co-sponsors: Deportation Defense Legal Network & Climate Council of Greater KC, KKFI radio; League contact: Dawn Wade Tuesday, March 12, Kansas City Public Schools: School Board Candidates; Co-sponsors: MORE2, KCPS- - League contact: Margie Richcreek Tuesday, March 19, Kansas City Mayoral Candidates; Co-sponsors: West Plaza Neighborhood - League contact: Margie Richcreek Tuesday, March 26, Raytown City Council/Mayoral Candidates; Co-sponsors: Raytown Area Chamber of Commerce - League contact: Charles Steele Anitra Steele

8 8 Public Forums Join the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce at "The Mayoral Candidate Forum" on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Northeast High School located at 415 Van Brunt, Kansas City, MO as candidates for the upcoming Kansas City Mayoral election engage with the public! The forum will be broadcast LIVE on FM as well as and is the perfect opportunity for all Mayoral Candidates to engage with our community and get feedback on the challenges and concerns facing our neighborhoods. The event is free and open to the public. Questions at the forum are encourage. Be part of the progress of our city and let your voice be heard! SPONSORS: Mattie Rhodes Center, Northeast Alliance Together (NEAT), Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (NEKCCoC), One Kansas City Radio, The Northeast News, *A special thanks to Kansas City Public Schools for donating their resources Cheryl Barnes Note: LWV KCJCP publishes notices of nonpartisan candidate forums as well as its own forums on our website, lwvkc.org; however, there could be nonpartisan forums about which we have no knowledge. Voter Registration Even though the midterm elections are over our voter registration teams keep busy. A big thank you to Cathy Hiersteiner and Susan Ford who helped the Board of Elections register 36 new citizens at a Naturalization Ceremony on December 12. We are working on a plan to have a team of registrars to help at all naturalization ceremonies in Please contact me if you are interested. Sue Scholl usafscholl@aol.com Environment Committee You may wonder why the Kansas City League of Women Voters (LWV) has an Environment Committee. It s because the League has local, national and state-wide positions related to the environment. Our Kansas City league has in the past done intensive and well-researched environmental related studies, in addition to the LWVMO positions on Air Quality, Hazardous and Solid Waste, Land Use, Water, and Climate Change. The state positions will be evaluated for potential recommendations from KCJCP to LWVMO. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, as there are many local groups whose main focus is the environment. Our committee is currently focused on promoting earth friendly practices for our organization and our members, being a conduit for passing along information, and organizing the annual April Saturday morning meeting to highlight Earth Day.

9 9 Environmental issues affect everyone, regardless of gender, age, economic status, or political beliefs. Detrimental environmental conditions can be a form of social injustice. These issues are influenced by how people vote on candidates and ballot issues and our Environment Committee can inform members and voters about issues and candidates positions on them. Please stop by the Environment table at the January 12, 2019 meeting for additional information, especially about our mission statement and goals set in July, There will be an Environment Committee meeting later in January The date and place of this meeting to be announced at a later date. Sheryl Eufinger Useful Technology Committee "Efficiency is doing better what is already being done." Technology is becoming increasingly useful in how non-profits operate. The Useful Technology committee of LWV Kansas City/J/C/P fully recognizes this. From organizing information and important data, to statistics, members, groups, committees, and simply "getting the message out via social media, technology is an amazing tool for our league. And daunting in some cases but our committee teamwork makes everything easier. The Useful Technology Committee is looking at inventive and modern ways to move forward in Our committee is an avenue for every League member to share ideas and input. So all members are welcome join us, and to always provide ideas and information on how we can do better technologically and more simply. Hospitality Josh Williams Thank you to all who helped with hospitality at our annual holiday luncheon held on December 8, Especially, I want to thank Melodie Armstrong, Josh Williams, Jean Ann Kouns, Sue Scholl, and Pat Goodwin. Also, thanks to Sandy Eeds and others who helped with the clean-up. Forty-eight people participated in the luncheon and an additional ten people attended the speakers' presentation but did not lunch with us. It was an interesting and informative festive event, which could not have happened without the participation of many people. The Hospitality Committee does more than present tasty food and drink in a pleasing manner. Please attend the January 12, 2018 information meeting and stop at Hospitality's table to learn what drives this committee's efforts. See if you are interested in helping with Hospitality's mission and goals. Sheryl Eufinger

10 10 County News Our local Voter will now regularly include news specific to Platte, Clay, Cass and Eastern Jackson Counties, however it must rely on members to submit news from their counties. Please send anything, from a sentence or two or a complete article if you want-- that you think would inform League members about issues in your County, towns, and cities, and any circumstances affecting i governance. How LWV can best Empower Voters and Defend Democracy can vary among our urban, suburban, and rural areas, as well as our different forms of government. Eastern Jackson County Something of timely interest is always happening in the 18 communities that make up Eastern Jackson County. The area is a trove of historical, political and religious treasure with one of the best known being the Truman Library & Museum. Recently in Independence the Director of the Truman Library & Museum, Kurt Graham, announced the kickoff of a capital campaign to pay for expansion and renovation of the museum. The goal is to open more space for exhibits and to attract more visitors to experience the legacy of Harry Truman. Among major changes expected: the current entrance lobby with the Thomas Hart Benton mural "Independence and the Opening of the West" will be changed to an event space; and an amphitheater is envisioned somewhere on the 14 acres. The anticipated date for completion of the project is April 12, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the day Harry Truman became our 33rd president. Appropriately, a quote of Truman's: "Make no little plans. Make the biggest one you can think of, and spend the rest of your life carrying it out." Carolyn Weeks Editor s note: President Truman s executive order to desegregate the military and abolish discrimination in the military on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin was issued on July 26, The Truman Library has an extensive collection of relevant materials about the historic achievement which made a profound difference in the eventual end of segregation throughout the country and the development of the civil rights field. Clay County Cheryl McCann who is on the board of the Clay County Museum is researching the Suffrage movement in Clay County, especially regarding passage of the 19 th Amendment. Anyone who has information on Clay County people or events involved in Suffrage is to contact Cheryl McCann, 305 South Missouri St., Liberty, MO, or clmusbooks@hotmail.com. Evelyn Maddox

11 11 Cass County Jeff Fletcher, the Cass County Clerk, is the current election authority for Cass County. The County Clerk s office is in Harrisonville. In 2018 there were 47 poll locations in 14 different towns, for 70,164 registered voters. Its website, casscounty.com, describes a variety of Clerk duties in addition to administering elections. Included among election duties is Maintain a computerized voter registration data base including but not limited to cancellations, change of address, registrations, deceased and those convicted of felonies. Evelyn Maddox Platte Co Kudos to the Platte County website, for publishing the Economic Development Council s calendar for January. Given the high interest in TIF, league members should consider attending this meeting on January 16. KCI TIF and Platte Purchase TIF advisory committees will jointly meet on Wednesday, January 16th, at 8:00 am in the Platte County Resource Center. The Public Policy Committee will meet on Thursday, January 17th at 7:30 am in the Platte County Resource Center. The Board of Directors will meet Friday, January 25th at 7:30 am in the Platte County Resource Center. Note: Want to know more about Missouri s laws relating to Tax Increment Funding? Go to Missouri s Department of Economic Development, Evelyn Maddox Student Winner of High School Poster Contest Go to to read about Laura Champion whose art poster won the statewide contest sponsored by LWVMO. She is pictured with Nancy Miller and Louise Wilkerson (L-R), Co-Presidents of LWV St. Louis. Laura is a student at Lafayette High School in the Rockwood School District St. Louis. Her poster was judged best for promoting youth registration and voting. The poster will be distributed to all high schools and leagues.

12 12 LWVUS Advocates for HR1 in Congress HR1: Legislation by and for the people a message in the LWUS Update of Dec 20, 2018: In November, voters sent a clear message across the country that they are ready for bold, comprehensive democracy reforms. Now, the League is working with a broad coalition of over 100 organizations to draft and shape HR1, a policy reform package that will include key democracy provisions: Expanding voter registration: Modernizing the registration process through the expansion of automatic voter registration and online voter registration. Implementing fair redistricting: It s time to end gerrymandering once and for all so that voters select their elected officials not the other way around. Outlawing voter purging: Prohibiting illegal voter roll purging will ensure that eligible voters will not find themselves wrongfully stripped of the right to vote. Restoring the VRA: Restoring the Voting Rights Act will strengthen our elections by cutting back the obstructive laws that have kept eligible voters from exercising their right at the ballot box. HR1 will improve our election system and make our democracy stronger. It could also be our opportunity to rebalance our system so that Big Money doesn t set Washington s agenda or decide who gets a seat at the table contact your Representative to ensure that this key provision is also included. Climate Change Reports Sound Alarm (LWUS Update, Dec 20) Two important reports on climate change were released in the past few weeks: The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report and the US National Climate Assessment. Together, these reports sound the loudest alarm yet that devastating climate change is happening now and will continue to get far worse without immediate, large-scale action. Read our blog highlighting the reports and check out the LWVUS Toolkit for Climate Action to find ideas about getting involved in your community. See the following report from LWVUS to the US Commission on Civil Rights, advocating for congressional action to restore key provisions of the Voter Rights Act. Its author, Virginia Kase, is the staff CEO of LWVUS. To learn about the Rights Act, go to

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14 14 Honoring Martin Luther King Peaceful and Persistent Advocate for Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act was signed on May 26, 1965, but March 7, 1965 was the date the American public was convinced change had to occur. That s the date Americans watched law enforcement officers attack the peaceful civil rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus bridge of Selma, Alabama. President Lyndon Johnson recognized the political environment was right for a political and moral victory that MLK had advocated for years, and signed the VRA just two months later. Jan 15, 1929 Apr 4, 1968 Although the federal holiday observance for Martin Luther King, Jr. s birthday is always the third Monday of January, his actual birthday is January 15. This year the legal holiday falls on January 21. In the News Gov Parsons Intends Repeal of Redistricting In an interview with Associated Press reporter, David Lieb, Governor Mike Parson (picture by AP) discussed how he wants to repeal the redistricting section of Amendment 1/(Clean Missouri that was passed by Missouri voters in November, Sean Nicholson, leader of Clean Missouri s statewide advocacy drive, responded that advocates will fight to defend it from being repealed.

15 15 Federal Ban on Bump Stocks NPR online reported details, on December 18, about federal regulations just announced by the Justice Department. The federal regulations redefine bump stocks as "machine guns" and are outlawed under existing law. The new regulations will take effect 90 days after being published in the Federal Register which as of Jan 4 cannot be confirmed to have happened. Eleven states already ban bump stocks: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Kansas City Leads as a Smart City LWV member Cheryl Barnes and president of her neighborhood association, was quoted in the New York Times, on January 1, in a story about extension of wireless internet in Kansas City s East Side. The article extensively describes how Kansas City is regarded as forward thinking and one of the technologically smartest cities in the nation whose expertise is sought by other cities. The official plan described in the article is to extend the wireless system to about 80,000 residents along Prospect Avenue. Cheryl spoke approvingly of the extension. LWV KCJCP Receives $700 Grant Our league has received a pass-through grant of $700 from LWVUS, to register Youth Voters. We received notice on December 19 that the grant application submitted by Rosemary Durkin was approved in order to support a Youth Voter Registration project. The project aims to engage high school, community college, and/or vocational school students in the electoral process, and in particular work to mitigate the widespread disparities in youth voting among African Americans, Latinos, and young people with no college experience. LWVEF is providing funding and materials to utilize during the registration activities (including the Empowering the Voters of Tomorrow training manual) in targeted underrepresented communities to support voter registration in the Spring of Grant amounts were determined based on the total amount available, the large number of qualifying applicants, and the expected breadth and impact of each program. Rosemary has applied for a second grant relating to voter registration for naturalized citizens.

16 16 Centennial Celebrations 2019 March 24: Centennial of Carrie Chapman Catt speech at Jubilee Convention where she said, Let us then raise up a league of women voters. March 29: Centennial of Missouri law on women s suffrage May 4-5: LWV Missouri State Convention, St. Louis; 100 th Celebration for LWVSTL and LWVMO June 5: Centennial of Congress passing the 19th Amendment July 3: Centennial of Missouri ratification of the 19th Amendment October 16-18: Centennial of Missouri League of Women Voters November 13: Centennial of St. Louis League 2020 February 14: The national League of Women Voters was formally organized in Chicago on February 14, Carrie Chapman Catt described the purpose of the new organization: The League of Women Voters is not to dissolve any present organization but to unite all existing organizations of women who believe in its principles. June 25-28: LWV US National Convention - celebration of 100 th anniversary August 18: Centennial of women s suffrage victory. Tennessee was 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. Date to be determined: LWV Kansas City/JCP Counties hosts State Conference celebrating 100 th anniversaries of LWVUS, LWVKCJCP Source: LWVMissouri.org